Fire to Ashes
by Willowbark-Riverclan
Summary: After a fire that wiped out the clans, Ashkit, Ashfur and Squirrelflight's kit, survives. She wakes up to find a great journey ahead of her. As a tiny kit, she comes out of the nursery for the first time to face her destiny, and the pain of living.
1. Prologue

Flames, smoke, sparks, ashes... They were everywhere, engulfing the young brown tabby feline that ran in a blind panic, feebly attempting to escape the madness. Heat seared the she-cats sides, her wild green eyes desperately searching for a way out of the fire that surrounded her. The forest itself seemed to be made of fire, as if there were no real trees or foliage, just the red and orange counterparts, dancing in false, misleading shapes. A few times she had seen cats made of fire, dancing through the blazing undergrowth with shrill shrieks that betrayed both laughter and unimaginable pain.

"I've got to get out of here!" That was the only thought that gave way through the panic and confusion, and the one that only heightened her terror. The she-cat ran until she could run no longer, exhaustion and fatigue taking her limbs before the adrenaline in her veins had a chance to run out. Finally, she collapsed, awaited a death that will be merciful compared to what she was enduring.

But the pain and exhaustion started draining out of her, her fur no longer blackened and burnt pads diminished. She stood up, quivering uncontrollably in fear. The forest was still on fire, but in the clearing the she-cat had fallen in was suddenly devoid of any flames, instead fresh, dew-dropped grass that portrayed no more warmth then a warm sunny day replaced it. In front of her stood a familiar figure, one of faint tortoiseshell colors and shimmering, bright stars shifting and moving throughout her pelt.

"S-Spottedleaf!" She exclaimed, watching the StarClan medicine cat with shock, more then a little surprised.

"Calm down, Leafpool. You are safe, there's no need to worry." Spottedleaf murmured softly, sitting down gracefully and swishing her dappled tail around her paws. The brown tabby Leafpool still trembled, but tried to remain tranquil for the sake of the StarClan member. It wasn't often one appeared in a cat's dreams- and when they do, its not to be taken likely.

"S-Spottedleaf... I have missed you greatly. You have not walked in my dreams for a long time now." Leafpool replied, bowing her head in the utmost respect. Spottedleaf in turn bowed before glancing at her seriously.

"I have an important message. One that will affect all the Clans for a great many moons to come. I have received an omen, one I fear you will not be pleased to hear." The she-cat gazed up her, eyes wide and concentrated. What did she mean, an omen?

It was then that Spottedleaf started slowly fading away, her voice echoing around the clearing as rain started pouring from the sky, diminishing the flames into nothingness. Leafpool leaped up, eyes wide in confusion and calling for Spottedleaf to wait. What did she mean?

_"Fire will die down and be forgotten, but the ash is always there to tell it's story..."_

_..._

* * *

_-Three moons later-_

It was sunhigh, and the sun blazed brightly overhead. There was hardly a cloud in the sky- well, as far as ThunderClan could see directly above Camp. All other sky was blocked by the thick trees and foliage. Most of the felines that dotted the clearing chose to rest and share tongues at this hot time of day, and when this happens, news spreads rapidly. Especially the news of kits that practically rang through the air- there wasn't a cat in this wing of the forest who didn't know by now.

The felines chattered on about how large a litter it was, how Squirrelflight chose to keep all of them instead of just the strongest with the best chance of survival as most do. And, even amiss this gossip, there was one place in camp completely peaceful.

In the darkness of the Nursery, a fiery orange she-cat lay, her tail sweeping around six bundles squirming against her warm fur. Sitting beside her was a gray tom speckled with darker gray speckles, watching her warmly. They murmured excitedly, the gray tom grooming her flank lovingly.

"Ashfur... They're gorgeous, just gorgeous!" The she-cat purred, bumping her head slightly to his leg in affection. Ashfur leaned down, licking his kits delicately. They were no more then half a day old- their eyes closed tight.

"Ahh but what shall they're names be, Squirrelflight?" Ashfur asked, his voice deep and rumbling with a rough purr. Squirrelflight stole a glance back at them, a joyful look crossing her eyes.

"I was hoping I could name all of the ones... That, you know- look a little like me?" She asked, batting her lush green eyes slightly at her mate. Ashfur, of course, laughed and nodded.

"As long as I agree with them." He purred, tail brushing her flank. Squirrelflight's muzzle fell to one of the smaller kits, a creamy orange one with white splashes.

"This one will be Rosekit... Oh, and the one with the handsome orange tabby coat- he'll be Flamekit!" She mrrowed lovingly, nuzzling each one softly. Ashfur glanced down a the others, trying to think of names that suit them.

"Can we have this silver dappled kit be Silverkit? Oh- and the light brown tabby can be Thrushkit!" The tom had never felt so proud, his chest poofing out in pride. Squirrelflight chortled, licking him under the chin passionately. It was then that they reached a rather odd kit- Leafpool had said it was the healthiest of the litter. It looked almost exactly like Ashfur- only, it had white splashes on it's paws and tail tip, yet the oddest part had to be the bright orange tips to her ears.

The ginger she-cat glanced back up at her mate and mrrowed in laughter. "I think this kit should be Ashkit, in honor of a very special tom I know." Purring, they bumped heads. The bliss didn't last long, however, as a caterwauling yowl of alert erupted from outside, followed by others. In an instant, Ashfur was on his paws, dashing swiftly out of the Nursery, leaving his mate curled around her kits protectively, startled.

In the clearing, the cats of ThunderClan surrounded one area below the Highledge. On the ledge stood a solid orange tom looking down in horror. Pushing his way to the front, Ashfur stopped short, frozen. In the clearing, the unmistakable form of Birchfall, his fur burnt a dark gray-black. He was lying there, the putrid death-scent rising off him. No cat made a sound, and then, someone cried, "Oh Birchfall- BIRCHFALL!"

It was then that panic spread throughout the crowd faster then a rabbit running from it's predator. "Firestar, what do we do?" A few called, eyes round in terror.

"Birchfall has spoken before he died; and his words were urgent. A fire is coming towards Camp- fast. Its already destroyed nearly half the forest, it may already be surrounding u-" Before Firestar could finish his sentience, a flaming branch fell from seemingly no where, landing right in the center of the clearing. Cats screeched and dodged out of the way, clamoring on and around each other in a frenzy to escape. Firestar called off orders from Highledge- but no one was listening, bolting everywhere in a blind panic.

Ashfur and Brambleclaw leaped in, hearing Firestar's words to run to the Gathering Island. They pushed cats towards the entrance, calling out the orders, and the clearing gradually cleared. Yet another few branches still blazing toppled into Camp. After quickly checking there no more cats were in Camp, Brambleclaw ran out.

Ashfur began to follow him, before hearing a gut-wrenching yowl from the Nursery. _Squirrelflight!_ How did they miss her? The tom turned, making a mad dash for the Nursery.

The Warrior had never believed that things seemed to work in slow motion when your life is at stake. A tree, red with fire, teetered over the clearing dangerously, as if personally threatening the Nursery's safety. Ashfur ran as hard as he could, but it seemed feebly slow compared to the tree's bending. He had just entered the nursery, locking eyes with a terrified Squirrelflight, before a loud _crack!_ boomed through the air.

The tom dashed up to his mate, grabbing a random kit, and slid it across the stone floor of the nursery in a clumsy attempt to save it's life. He didn't have time to duck down and grab another kit or help Squirrelflight before the tree hit the nursery, easily breaking through with a sickeningly loud crackling noise. The kit that went sliding, Ashkit, let out a cry of surprise, as did all of the other kits

Blurred vision... Pain taking over as flaming branches pierced through his skin... Dust and smoke filling air, clogging lungs...

Time had run out.

And yet, before the pain and sharpness left their bodies as they slipped into the darkness, the two lovers managed to utter their last words.

_"I love you..."_


	2. Chapter 1

••••••Chapter One••••••

•_Flames… Smoke… Burning flesh… Screams of terror and pain… They all consumed the small, gray-dappled she-kit. From the darkness, bright flames danced in their taunting heat, dark smoke spewing from the fire to choke her senses. Although Ash couldn't see anybody, wild screeches of terror erupted from every direction. The five-moon-old kitten let out a yowl of confusion, charging in a random direction. Her flee from the yowling voices was cut off as a flaming tree fell out of nowhere, crashing to the ground. Rancid, burnt flesh arose from under it, and Ash let out a cry of terror. _

•_Suddenly, all the fire, smoke, screams, and horror froze in place, as if turned to ice. Ash looked around, confused, until all the strange images faded away slowly, until darkness once more consumed the land. Strange word echoed softly from the darkness, the voice a course, rough, yet warm murmur. Ash perked her orange-tipped ears as she strained to hear it. "I-I love you…" _

•Ash woke up with a start, her crystal blue eyes snapping open. The darkness was gone in a simple blink, more familiar surroundings comforting the small kit. Yawning, she lifted up her small, furry gray head. Looking around, she didn't spot either of her two older companions in their small, musty den that had been formally owned by a fox. The kitten shivered, fear still tingling her pelt and causing her to bristle. She had been having the same nightmare for the past moon, and she could only wonder what it meant.

•Curious as to where they went, the she-kit got up and arched her back into a stiff stretch, before padding out into the beautiful leafy forest outside. The sun shone past the many leaves and dappled the forest floor, most of which was covered with the leaves that fell from the same trees season after season. Birds sung and danced overhead, crickets chirping to the melody. A soft breeze flitted through the forest, brushing past Ash as she sat down right outside the den.

•Knowing she wasn't allowed out of the small Camp, Ash obediently waited for her two den-mates, Rose and Dragon. The kit swished her tail around, kicking up some of the dead leaves. Instantly all over them, she pounced on the nearest one. The movement caused another to stir, and one of her white paws flashed out and batted at it. Suddenly, a movement on the other side distracted her as a leaf tumbled over the others. Abandoning the other leaves, she crouched, wagging her haunches high in the air. Ash watched the flying leaf carefully, pretending it to be a mouse, before yowling a squeaky battle-cry and pouncing on it. Pinning the leaf to the ground, she growled cutely, sliding her only half-sharp claws into the already dead plant.

•"Uh oh! Looks like our big bad hunter's taken down yet another juicy bit of prey!" An amused voice from behind the she-kit caused Ash to start, whipping around in joy as she recognized whom it belonged to. An orange Bengal adult sat, gazing down at her with soft, leaf-green eyes, a plump vole in her jaws. Growling playfully, Ash jumped up and down, batting at the swaying prey above. The she-cat let out a _mrrow_ of laughter, raising her head to hold the vole up higher. "Now now! You wouldn't want to bruise your lunch!"

•"Common Rose! Put it down!" Ash laughed, her stomach rumbling in hunger. Rose leaned over and set the vole down, allowing the she-kit to dive in and tear off a scrap of the flank. The flavor of the juicy vole filled her mouth, and she finished off her small portion quickly. Licking her lips, she gazed up in admiration to the hunter that caught that delightful piece of prey.

•For the few moons Ash had lived so far, she always considered Rose as her mother. Although Rose told her otherwise so many times, always laughing warmly when the she-kit called her 'Mommy', she had taken care of Ash and protected her like a real mother would. Ash remembered the story that Rose and Dragon had told her countless times in the past of how they found her, a small bundle of fur camouflaged in the bed of ash that surrounded the Lake.

•According to them, they heard that a fire swept fiercely through the forest and moorlands as fast as a cat in pursuit of a rabbit. From rogues and other loners, they knew that there were massive amounts of other wild cats living in that forest when it happened, and Rose and Dragon took one sunrise and one moonrise of travel to make it to the lake they had been to only a few times before. They searched for survivors, but all the cats they found that belonged to the massive groups were dead, burnt to death or drowned in the lake. Well- most of them anyhow.

•The one survivor they found was Ash, a small gray kit that didn't look like it had been born more than a day ago. Normally a kit would have died by then of cold and lack of care. However, fate worked differently for Ash. The ashes created by the former ThunderClan Nursery had burned down and surrounded her, creating an even temperature. She had food in her, because she nursed well before the fire killed her real mother. She didn't choke because a breeze somehow brought just the slightest bit of fresh air in, and no hot coals, sparks, or ashes touched her because she was half-way in a small hole in the cliff side. She was truly lucky to live.

•Ash gazed up at Rose with big, glossy eyes and a small, cute smile. She knew making that face can get her anything her little heart desires. The older she-cat looked down and laughed, nuzzling her forehead.

•"Fine, fine. I'll tell you a story." _Mrrowing_ with laugher, Rose gazed up into the clear skies, warmth in her eyes. "Let's see… I've already told you the one about how we found you about a million times, as well as the time we fought off a fox from our territory…" "I know!" Ash gazed up at her with excited eyes, fidgeting from where she sat, her paws moving up and down in a paced motion of excitement.

•"Sit still young one! It's time to tell you the story." Rose purred, amusement in her voice. Ash took a deep breath and calmed down. She loved the stories Rose told, they were always exciting stories of adventure and action. "The story of how Dragon and I met.

•"I've always lived in this forest, all my life, and I was determined to defend the small territory with my life. As you already know, this use to be my mother's territory before she died. I wouldn't give it up if it killed me. Anyway, I was out hunting, when all of a sudden I heard an intruder. I quickly leaped up in a tree to see who it was, because the scent alone only told me that it was male, adult, use to live in a pine forest, and had rabbit for lunch. The cat I saw was a humongous dark grey tom, speckled with black flecks. You can say that it was love at first sight.

•"However, an intruder was an intruder. He ignored the scent markers I left, and now he must pay. Knowing that he was easily twice as big as my small features, I took him by surprise and used it to my advantage. I leaped down from the tree, landing square on his back! And boy was he surprised as I raked my claws down his back and leaped off to the side before he could counter. As if a blur, my paw snapped out and claws sliced his cheek when he tried to defend himself. Dragon was always a peaceful cat. Didn't like fighting if it wasn't necessary. And because of that, he didn't land a single blow on me.

•"When he didn't fight me back, I got confused and continued attacking him. All he did was dodge, never landing a single blow. Finally, when I got exhausted, I stood in front of him snarling, hoping to drive him off with a scary face and a few threats. However, the Tom claimed my respect when he just sat down and started licking his wounds. He ended up staying the night in my territory, and for the next few days, he kept his distance, only approaching me if he saw that I was in a good mood. Soon, we became great friends. Sharing the territory, I was soon expecting kits!"

•Ash cocked her head as Rose continued. She had never heard this story before, and she thought it was funny that the two mates quarreled when they first met. Listening carefully, Rose went on to tell about how leaf bare came and a fox killed the kits. Enraged, Rose and Dragon both fought side by side and drove the fox out with scars to remember them by. That story the she-kit had heard a few times.

•"Ooooh! I love this story!" A deep voice sounded from behind Ash, catching her off guard once more and making her flinch. Whipping around, she dashed over to the dark Tom that padded into the small clearing, his head ducked and a lopsided grin on his face.

•"Dragon!" Ash cried happily, loping over and rubbing herself against his cheek in welcome. But then the she-kit drew away from him, her glossy eyes pools of confusion as she looked behind him. A strange calico cat staggered beside him, leaning slightly against his shoulder. Dragon's gaze quickly grew dark and serious.

•"Here, lay down…" He murmured, lowering the obviously hurt cat down. Ash stared in horror at the she-cat; most of her fur had been singed completely off, and her eyes were half closed and glossy as if she was dying. Rose gasped in horror, and suddenly Ash felt teeth in her scruff. Limply, she allowed herself to be carried into the den and set down on her small mossy nest.

•"M-M-Mom… W-Who is th-that..?" Ash whispered, the image of the calico cat laying in Camp half-dead filling his mind.

•"Shh-shh-shh, little kit… It's going to be alright… You just need to stay in here for a while, kay?" Rose murmured in her ear soothingly, giving her a quick lick on the forehead. Ash nodded, looking down at her paws with sympathy. Rose left, padding back to Dragon and the strange she-cat.

•Ash could only here bits and pieces of what they were saying, but she heard Rose and Dragon discussing fiercely about something. _'Lake… Fire… Groups… Cats… Fire…' _Those were the only words that Ash could make out. Instantly curious, her fear was forgotten. '_Those words must mean something about those groups of cats at the Lake that were wiped out by the fire! Maybe that strange cat is one of them!' _She thought to herself.

•Ash slowly padded up to the entrance of the den, as silently as she could be. Peeking out, she tried to keep low so she wouldn't be caught listening in. She was still obeying Rose; technically she was still half-way in the den. The words were clearer and more obvious now, but Ash still strained to hear them.

•Suddenly, Ash jumped up in fright, her eyes wide as straight when she lifted herself just a little higher to see better, the strange calico's sharp yellow eyes snapped open, a crazed look to them. They shifted over to where Ash was laying, and she stiffened in fright.

•Rose and Dragon followed the cat's wide eyes to Ash, and suddenly, the cat spoke for the first time. The cat would recognize the fiery orange color that tipped Ash's ears anywhere, and the darker gray flecks also marked Ash as one familiar subject.

•The cat summand up the last strength she had in her already dying body. Eyes wide in pain, she just managed to speak her last sentence before she choked, and her eyes grew glossy. Ash hadn't even been this horrified in those strange dreams. The cat's words scared her down to the core.

**"Keep the memory alive, Ashfur, Squirrelflight! LET THE CLANS LIVE ON!"**


	3. Chapter 2

**••••••Chapter Two••••••**

•Birds danced overhead, singing their wake-up calls to the world. A gentle breeze rocked the forest, sweet scents from flowers following along. Through the forest padded two large figures, another smaller figure trudging beside them.

•Ash struggled to keep up with Dragon and Rose, whose paces were indeed hard to match. The crisp morning air gave them all lots of energy to go at a brisk pace through the forest. Excitement tingled at the she-kit's paws, for after a few days of constant begging, her parents finally gave in to her desperate plea.

•After the strange cat died, Dragon had gone to bury her. For days Ash had pondered over her strange words, and finally confronted her foster parents and told them she wanted to learn more about her past, and the groups of cats that lived by the Lake. She bugged them every single day until they agreed to take her to where the fire took place.

•They had just left that morning, but already they had gone a long way. Ash couldn't wait to find out about the gangs of cats, and what they were like. However, Dragon and Rose kept trying to calm her down in case there were no loners in the area that knew of them.

•After walking until sun-high, Rose and Dragon finally decided to rest. Ash sprawled across the forest floor, exhausted. She never walked that far in her life, and they were going even farther. However, the excitement of the journey made the exhaustion disappear quickly and soon enough she was back on her paws and looking bored. She wanted to continue, but Dragon had gone off to scout the area and Rose was hunting. She still couldn't believe that they trusted her enough to leave her alone in unknown territory.

•Wandering around the small clearing aimlessly, it seemed like moons of waiting until Dragon finally broke through the underbrush, a concerned look on his face. Ash perked her ears, dashing over to him.

•"Dragon!" Ash laughed, bowling into the muscular gray and black Tom. He _mrrowed_ in laughter, shoving her off of him.

•"Get off of me you lil' worm!" Dragon laughed, getting up and rasping his tongue across his chest a few times and giving her a stern look. "Didn't I tell you to clean while I was gone? And why weren't you in the hiding place, the hole in those roots in the oak tree?" Ash rolled her eyes. She didn't like baths. However, knowing that they could turn back at any moment, she sat down with an annoyed look and starting licking her leg. She didn't answer the question about leaving the hiding place. It was boring in that damp, stinky hole.

•"That's a good girl." Smiling, Dragon sat down and waited for Rose to return. Ash wasn't paying any attention, but his erect position signaled that he was in intense concentration; the look on his face was serious. He was glad he went scouting.

•Rose returned soon after Ash was done washing all the dirt off of her legs and her pads. Jumping up, the kitten dashed over with a yowl of greeting. The older she-cat let out a muffled laugh and dodged to the side before she was bowled over. Two plump rodents hung from her jaws, a mouse and vole. Diving in as soon as she set them down, she ate half the mouse ravenously, her hunger awakening on sight. Ash didn't notice Dragon and Rose having a quiet, serious discussion. After she was done eating, the two glanced her way and finished their conversation quickly.

•They continued walking after her parents ate they're fill, the sunlight of Sunhigh streaming through the forest canopy. After carefully avoiding a large expanse No-fur dens, following a dry creek bed. A few times Ash grew so tired that they had to stop. Both Dragon and Rose seemed a bit restless for some reason, but the she-kit ignored it, oblivious to they're concern.

•Before she knew it, it was sunset. The band of three took up a temporary den in an old badger den in the side of the dry creek. Falling fast asleep almost immediately after laying on a small nest of leaves, she plunged into yet another dream.

•This dream was different from the ones she had had for a while now. Instead of the smoke, the fire, and the strange voices, she was in darkness, only, a patch of sunlight and grass, leaves littering the clearing.

* * *

•_Three cats were in the clearing in the darkness. One was a huge, broad brown tabby tom with amber eyes. **'Brambleclaw' **a strange voice said, soft and clam. Beside him was another tom that looked exactly the same, only with icy blue eyes and a white dash on his chest. **'Hawkfrost'** the voice said again. The third was a fiery tom, his flaming coat glowing in the sunlight. **'Firestar' **the voice said once more. The flaming tom Firestar was in trouble, with some sort of metal no-fur trap digging into his neck. One of the tabbies, Hawkfrost, had his cold eyes narrowed and was whispering some sort of tempting words that Ash couldn't make out. Brambleclaw, the other tabby, looked uncertain, nervous, and scared. After a few seconds, the she-kit could finally hear what they were saying._

•"_That's right," Hawkfrost hissed. "This is our chance to take revenge on Firestar for our father's death. He could have tried to stop Scourge, but he just stood there and watched Tigerstar die, over and over and over." There was a long pause, Brambleclaw shifting his gaze nervously from Firestar to Hawkfrost. Once more, the voice streamed through her ears. **'Tigerstar, the traitor… Scourge, the evil…' **_

•_After a few more seconds, Brambleclaw spoke. "No," he meowed to Hawkfrost. "I won't do it. Keep still, Firestar, I'll have you out of this in a heartbeat." The tom leaped to the fiery orange cat's side, trying to release him from the trap. A yowl of anger erupted from Hawkfrost, who leaped and bowled Brambleclaw over. Pinning him, the tom glared at Brambleclaw._

•"_Coward!" He snarled. "Keep away and I'll kill him myself if I have to!" Brambleclaw wouldn't stand for that, and pushed Hawkfrost off, trying once more to dig Firestar free. Finally, the stick gave way, letting Firestar loose. Hawkfrost leaped at Brambleclaw once more, and the two fought, they're raging comments hurling at one another as they attacked. Once more, Hawkfrost had Brambleclaw pinned. This time Brambleclaw couldn't escape, and Hawkfrost's jaws were about to close around his neck when the pinned tom twisted his head around, grabbing the stick and lunging it towards Hawkfrost's throat…_

•_Darkness enveloped the scene as Hawkfrost's piercing scream echoed through nothingness, a pool of blood forming from where an invisible Hawkfrost lay dead. Ash's heartbeat went faster and faster. The tom was dead! To her horror, the pool of blood started waving up and down, widening out until it was a redish pink color rather then a dark crimson, lapping at invisible shores. The ocean of blood grew and grew until it reached her paws. _

•_Screaming, Ash tumbled backwards, watching the blood as it thinned out until it was in the form of a fox, bubbling blood waving in it's canine shape. Suddenly, the fox charged her, opened its jaws, rows and rows of gleaming sharp teeth closing in, and…_

_

* * *

_•Teeth met Ash's scruff as she was seized from the dark badger den, plunked right out of her nest. At first, she thought Dragon was carrying her like he use to when she was younger. Then, to her dread, she remembered that she was too big to be carried any more, being a little bigger than half the size of her mother.

•It didn't take long to realize what was happening. Sound and scent came soon after consciousness. Although her vision was still blurred, her other senses told her what was happening. Dragon lay in a pool of blood in front of her, the scent of blood mingling with the tom's musty scent. The strongest scent came to her quickly as she heard Rose screaming in horror. _Fox!_

**"NO! MY KIT! DON'T TAKE ME KITTEN AWAY FROM ME AGAIN!"**


	4. Chapter 3

**••••••Chapter Three••••••**

•The forest rushed past in a blur as Ash was carried swiftly through the dark forest. Her heart pounded like never before, fear and adrenaline pumping through her veins. Rose's cries of panic faded into the distance until all that was heard was the harsh, rough breathing of the fox that held her tightly in his jaws. The kit tried struggling, thrashing out but, facing the wrong direction, her energy was wasted batting at the air with unsheathed claws.

•It felt like moons of endless struggling and fear of death until the fox finally started to slow. Ash was exhausted, hanging defeated in the jaws of her tormentor. Preparing for death, the kit made out one final struggle after the fox at set her down to rest. Twisting around, she sliced her claws across the fox's leg. The fox, with a yelp of surprise, lifted up his paw and whined. Too exhausted to run, the fox let out a growl and picked her up by the scruff once more, shaking her.

•Ash gasped in pain as she was wrenched from side to side. The she-kit could see death looming over her like a dark cloud before suddenly the fox let go. She sailed through the air, hitting with a crack against a tree. Falling down, pain seared through her. Black spots started to fill her pale blue gaze, and, only half-conscious, she saw a strange scruffy brown tom slicing his claws across the cat's legs. Another cat, white this time, on the other side, had leaped up and held onto the foxes flank while digging his teeth into the flesh. This white tom was obviously much younger then the brown tabby, but with her blurred vision Ash could not tell.

•Ash's soft blue eyes glazed over, watching but at the same time not watching the two toms fight the fox. She was looking straight at them, yet nothing was registering. She fought to remain conscious. Finally, her eyes slid closed, and she collapsed into darkness.

•Unlike all other times she's slept, this time she did not dream. It was a restless, troubled, exhausting sleep, one that drained you of your energy instead of gaining.

* * *

•When Ash finally woke up, she didn't know where she was. She was under a bush, sunlight streaming through the leaves and dappling her fur. Lifting her head up with a yawn, she gazed around, confused as to how she had gotten here. Then, she remembered… Everything. The fox stealing her away, Dragon's laying unconscious, Rose's horrified cries, and… What happened afterwards was faint in her memory. She remembered being tossed like a toy, feeling as if her limbs were about to tear off, when she flew through the air. All memory after that had been completely erased.

•Gazing suspiciously around, she listed off the facts of the situation. One: She didn't know where she was. Two: The last thing she could remember is nearly dying. Three: Somebody must have saved her. Four: Wait- what was that smell? Twisting around, she started with surprise, leaping up in the air with a slight hiss and her tail poofed out, cut shot as she hit a branch and toppled over. Right behind her, gazing at her with curious yellow eyes, was a young tom. He looked about her age, but older.

•The tom saw the surprised look on her face and muffled laughter, his sides trembling as he held in a laugh. Ash gave him an annoyed hiss and sat back down, licking her fluffed out tail, embarrassed and angry at the same time. Who was this tom, anyway?

•"Glad to see your awake, you little scaredy-kitty." The tom let out a mrrow of laughter, his eyes dancing as he gazed at her. Ash's ears pinned to her head, gazing at him suspiciously.

•"I'm not scared!" Glancing away trying to hide her embarrassment, she glared at a random branch of the bush. "Who are you anyway? Did you kidnap me?" The she-kit accused with a slight hiss, hostility edging her voice.

•"Whoa there youn'in, your finally awake? Skye, quit tormenting the poor kitten." Ash turned around to see an old scruffy brown tabby. "Now you look here youn'in, Skye here helped me save you from that fox. Nasty creatures, they are. We were losing badly. He ran in a random direction with it in full pursuit while I hauled you to safety. Names Purdy, by the way."

•Ash couldn't put her paw on it, but she felt somehow strangely connected to this Purdy cat. Shaking it off, she felt she could trust the tom. "Where's Rose?" She demanded almost immediately, a growl rising in her throat. She didn't care if these toms saved her, her mother could be dead or frantic with worry.

•Purdy's gaze softened. "Rose? Is that your mother?" Ash nodded, gazing down at her paws. _Dragon… W-What about him…? Could he be too hurt to look for me?_

•"H-Hey, why the sad face? I'm sure your mothers looking for you. Tell ya what youn'in, I'll make Skye go out in search, and I'll entertain you with some stories." Ash didn't want to hear any stories. She wanted to see Rose.

•Skye, with a sigh, heaved himself up and padded out from under the bush, walking in a random direction. Before he disappeared from view, he glanced back at her with cool yellow eyes and threw the first words that came to mind at her. "You're weird."

•Ash looked shocked for a second, before anger etched her features. "Well at least I don't have a wet leaf stuck to my behind!" Triumph shone in her glaring blue eyes as he twisted around to see a large wet leaf stuck beside his tail. With a growl, he swiped it off and gave her the cold shoulder, resuming his walk into the forest.

•Purdy let out a mrrow of laughter. "You'll have to forgive him youn'in, he's shy, that's all." Settling down into a resting position, his paws tucked under his chest, the old shaggy tom gave her a thoughtful glance. "I know, I'll tell ya about the time I helped one of em' clam group cats or whatever they were."

•Ash didn't want to hear any stories; her mind was constantly on Rose and Dragon. What happened to them? But, as Purdy settled down, she decided to listen politely. After all, he did save her life. And he was nice enough to try to comfort her.

•"Well I use to live in that Upwalker place, you know, the thingys that walk on them two legs and tower over you like a giant? So I lived there most of my youn' life, but the most memorable thing I ever did when I was a young, handsome, muscular, tough cat," Ash rolled her eyes. She doubted somebody as Scruffy and _old_ as this cat could have possibly been tough and handsome like Dragon, even if he was ever young. "Was help out some of them strange clam cats. Don't ask me why they called themselves clam cats, I've only heard of those and they say they're not very tasty. Stole one from an Upwalker once, wasn't that good at all. Revolting, actually. Maybe they called themselves clams because they was headin' towards that endless nastywaterplace or whatever they called eet."

• "So, continuing on, I think they're names were Squirreltail, Brambletooth, Crowfeather, Silverwater, and Stormsomethingoranother." Ash perked her ears when she heard Bramble, the name from her dreams, but lost interest when she heard the 'tooth' part. What was the strange tom's name again? Oh yeah, Brambleclaw. "Now they were trying to find the nastywaterplace, but they were heading in the wrong direction. Now I've been thar, and I knew the way. Course' they accepted my help, as handsome as I was, all they could do was follow and admire my leadership ability. So we were goin' for days, avoiding them strange monsters and the Upwalkers, before we finally reached a dead end. Personally, I think it was their fault, because they obviously tricked me into heading the wrong way. They then proceeded to yell at me even though it was obviously Brambleclaw's fault."

•Ash blinked in confusion. "Uhhh, I thought it was Brambletooth."

•"It was." Purdy replied, a hint of annoyance streaming through his rough voice.

•"But you just said Brambleclaw." Ash tossed back in a matter-of-fact tone.

•"It was Brambleclaw. That's what I said. Brambletooth. Wait a second…" Purdy paused, a confused look on his face before looking back at her, annoyance sharp in his gaze. "Now you look here youn'in, don't you go on confusing me! Kittens these days, no respect!"

•Ash rolled her eyes before looking up at him curiously, putting on her best face. "What did this Brambletoo- er, Brambleclaw look like?"

•"Erm… Grey tabby." Ash's heart fell at Purdy's reply. "Waaiittttt- no. Brown tabby. Yes, Definitely a brown tabby. Huge cat, he was. Big and broad. Kinda scared me. Well, it would have scared me, but you see, when I was a youn'in, I wasn't scared of nuthin'. I was pretty cool back then, cool Purdy. Pretty cool Purdy. Hey, they sound alike! Pretty Purdy. I am pretty, aren't I? I came up with that just now if you can believe it."

•Ash's heart soared. Completely forgetting about Rose, she continued to pester him for answers. He must be talking about Brambleclaw, the one from her dream! "So what was Brambleclaw like? Was he seen with a fiery orange tom or another one JUST like him only with blue eyes? Wait no, the one with blue eyes died. Who were the others? Are you sure you don't know why they called themselves Clams?"

•Purdy refused to answer the questions, not liking to be interrupted while telling a story. Instead, he shushed her, got ready to resume the story, before gazing blankly at her and completely forgetting what he was about to say. "Anyway, you get some rest. You got no sleep, twitching and being half-awake constantly. I'll answer a few of your questions tonight. For now, just rest."

•Aggravated, the she-kit complied. Curling into a little ball under the shade of the bush, she felt exhaustion consume her, and it only took a few seconds to fall into a deep sleep, Purdy disappearing from the den.

* * *

_•Ash gasped in horror as she free fell through darkness, her fur sticking upwards and waving wildly as she tumbled downward. Suddenly, a light appeared below her, a tiny dot at first, but got rapidly closer. Twisting around instinctively, she landed with a thump onto the ground, expecting her legs to give way with the impact but instead still strong, as if she just fell from the height of a tree stump._

_•Wherever she was, the air was filled with the scent of blood, pain, fear, hatred, and disgust. The blackness slowly ebbed away, revealing the startling scenario around the she-kit. Strange creatures she only recognized from Rose's stories were all stuffed alongside her within a strange encampment, small cliffs towering all but a certain part._

_•The creatures, Ash remembering being called Badgers, were fighting with… Something. The images grew clearer and clearer as the landscape sharpened. Cats! The cats and badgers were badly, the cats loosing badly, the huge badgers being able to kill one with a single swipe of its large paws or snap of its huge jaws._

_•That was when the sound came. It all hit her at once, the formally mute scene turning into hell as screeches of pain, horror, and hostility flooded her ears all at once. And she was in the middle of it all. Letting out a screech of terror, the she-kit tried to run away, only to be blocked by two young cats fighting a small badger. From the corner of her eye, she could see an opening, a parting in the battle. Dashing as fast as she could, she was almost too the wall of the cliff when a badger came up, cornering a fiery orange she-cat._

_•This cat looked just like the one from the dream before, the tom Firestar, only she had a single white paw. With a look of udder terror on her face, the she-cat let out a yowl, swiping her paw out at approaching badger and missing. Ash's heart raced. It was going to kill her!_

_•At the last second, a handsome gray dappled tom that looked a lot like Ash let out a yowl, leaping up and digging his claws into the badger's back. The badger, flailing around in attempt to get him off, let out a howl as the tom dug his teeth and claws into its ear. The badger, moving away from the she-cat, finally fled with two torn up, blood ears and streaks of red across its back. The tom glanced at the she-cat, and they're eyes met._

_•Ash froze, all the noise fading away, and then her surroundings, taken over by darkness until all but the she-cat and tom remained. Their gazes were locked together, not moving, frozen in place. Then, the she-cat blinked at the tom with longing glittering in her soft, leaf-green gaze. The tom gave her a look of equal longing in his soft blue eyes. Then, the she-cat dipped her head, glancing at her paws, and said something. However, Ash could not tell what she said, for all sound was mute. The tom murmured something in reply, then turned and ran straight towards Ash, glaring above her with determination in his gaze. Right before he ran into her, he disappeared into a shroud of smoke, thinning out and disappearing. The she-cat gazed up, stood, and ran in another direction, disappearing in time._

_•Ash was once more alone in the darkness. Suddenly, the darkness started to shift, less-dark shafts of light penetrating the barrier as the blackness took the form of trees and grass, a seemingly non-existing dark floor, glittering with dark grey-brown stars._

_•It was cold. Deathly cold. Mist formed when Ash breathed, and made it seem like she didn't have a thick fur coat at all. It numb her paws._

_•But at the same time it was hot. Terrifyingly hot. Ash nearly toppled over as heat seared her insides, making it feel as if she was going to explode._

_•The constant tremors of hot and cold continued, Ash crying out in udder pain until it started to subside, a foul taste in her mouth and bad feeling wrenching her gut. A light fog gave the dark forest an eerie look to it, scaring the young she-kit._

_•From the fog padded two figures. One looked exactly like that Brambleclaw cat from the dream before, only larger with a icy cold but at the same time raging hot hate in his sharp amber gaze as he glowered down upon her. The other was a tom also like Brambleclaw, but she recognized this one from the dream before as well. This tom had glittering icy blue eyes and a white slash across his chest, a less broad but still well-built form. Hawkfrost!_

_•The large and obviously much older tom started to talk, but no sound came out of his mouth. Ash gazed at him with pinned ears, fear and confusion glittering obviously in her eyes. The tom started to look annoyed at no reply. Then, Hawkfrost tried speaking to her, but what came out was just a faint whisper, too quiet for her to make out what he was saying._

_•Then a wall of light appeared around her. The light was blinding, and she squeezed her eyes shut. When she finally opened them again, a thin wall of light separated her and the two toms. The older one was cursing, swiping at the barrier with unsheathed claws, a look of rage in his eyes. But when his paws connected with the light, the scent of burning fur filled the air, and he flinched backwards with what looked like a curse. Hawkfrost just gazed calmly at the barrier, then flicked his tail and rested it on the older tom's shoulder. Then, the wall of light started to grow brighter once more, this time expanding and taking over her dream like the darkness, only a bright white light where ever she looked._

_•All of a sudden, a black fire appeared in front of her, it's heat surprising her and, with a yelp of surprise, she tripped backwards, falling through the light into the jaws of a giant laughing fox._

* * *

•Ash woke up with a start, her heart racing as she took in all that she saw. She was back in the den under the bush. It had grown dark, but it was still light enough to see the cool evening outside. What had woken her up from her nightmare?

•Then she heard it. A voice so familiar it made her heart soar, her eyes desperate with longing, and the she-kit was on her paws in seconds. However, her leg got caught in a root, and when she tried to run, she just toppled over. She has to go to that voice!

**"ASH! ASH, WHERE ARE YOU MY KITTEN?"**


End file.
